What I Watched: Only Murders in the Building season three. Oh, so enjoyable. There are subtle nods to acting tropes, famous actors of days gone by, and of course, a murder in the building. Here is part of The Guardian’s review:
In the third season, the show is more committed to fun, taking every opportunity to slip in a witty retort or a Bob Fosse-style musical number. The central trio are at their finest, nearly breaking the fourth wall when Martin and Short’s characters are begging Gomez’s character to figure out how they can all continue to hang out. Oliver pleads, “We need you, you’re the Mabel in the Charles and Oliver sandwich!” Charles adds, “Without you, we’re just two pieces of stale white bread.” While no one is suggesting that Short and Martin are bland, stale or past their prime, the inclusion of Gomez truly does lead to the most delicious of televisual sandwiches and anchors the best series of Only Murders In The Building so far. One can only hope there are many more years of good old-fashioned, murderous fun ahead to keep these three occupied.
What I Read: The three three-book collections featuring Jack Dahlish. Here is the Amazon blurb:
He wears a coin around his neck that allows him to see through the masks that keep supernatural Nox hidden among humanity. Along with that ability comes the responsibility to protect Nox and humans alike when dangers threaten to fracture the peace between them.
I’m including all the blurbs, so can see if it is worth investing your time to read them:
In Lost Souls, Jack Dahlish is approached by a grandmother desperate to find out how her young granddaughter disappeared without a trace from a crowded playground in the middle of the day. It’s his job to determine if there is a supernatural threat behind the abduction, and to stop it at all costs before more children are taken.
In Memory And Sorrow, Jack’s past comes back to haunt him. More than ten years ago, the death of his sister led to one of the Nine Coins coming into his possession. Now, he has to face the prospect that the revenge he’d taken for her murder might have been misplaced.
In Dark Deception, Jack is surprised when another member of the Nine arrives in San Antonio, hot on the trail of a giant leaving death and destruction in its wake. While trying to find and stop the giant before his city is the next to be wrecked, Jack also has to deal with relationship issues when Karen’s sister unexpectedly comes to town.
In Fateful Knights, Jack Dahlish travels to India in search of help and guidance to restore one of the Nine Coins to a new protector of the supernatural world. He finds more than he bargained for when he discovers just how much the powers of the coin he wears were kept from him for more than a decade.
In Awakenings, Jack is tasked with tracking down the missing granddaughter of San Antonio’s mayor. What seemed at first to be a mundane case that might score him a few points with a political power becomes something much more when he discovers that the girl’s father is a powerful Nox. Jack has to rescue the girl and defeat her father before the truth of the supernatural world is exposed.
In Reckoning, Jack and Annie are ambushed in the middle of a date. Worse, the attempted assassin seems to be completely invisible to everyone in the restaurant. Even Jack has trouble remembering details after barely escaping with his life. A strange new ally emerges, launching Jack and his Knights on a chase that takes them deep into Louisiana swamps and uncovers a dangerous new threat to the entire Nox world.
In Bad Blood, Jack and his Knights are in New York City, on the hunt for the Rosu twins. After another raid of a potential hiding place proves unsuccessful, a disappointed Jack receives a call from San Antonio. An old friend is requesting his help, and the stability of the city’s vampire clutches is at stake.
In Rising Storm, Jack has Alexandru Rosu in his sights. In the middle of a violent fight to finally capture one of the Romani twins, Jack makes decisions that leave the future of his friends in doubt. Which leaves him even more confused when he finds himself transported into the past in the blink of an eye. Chaos has pulled him back to 2004 to help hunt down a new god before devastating powers can be unleashed without necessary guidance. Forced to work with people he’s never met before, Jack has to complete the task as quickly as possible, so he can return to his own time and finish what he started.
In Last Call, the tables have turned. Jack is accused of breaking the Covenants, centuries-old rules that govern the peace between Nox and humanity. He must travel to the Vale in order to defend himself, a place exists only in old tales and whispers. In the meantime, his Knights scramble to defend Windemere against a concerted attack that threatens to topple the balance of power and bring a new age of war to the world.
The author, Tim Rangnow, is the author of the popular Jack Dahlish series, as well as the Watchers series set in the same world filled with supernatural Nox and powerful Relics infused with Chaos energy. He also writes science fiction novels. The Guild series is a space opera that takes place in the near future. He is currently working on the ongoing Rim Jumper series, which includes action, adventure, and a rebellion against a powerful Hegemony that rules human-settled space.
What I Listened To: Covenant – If I give my soul (thanks @MemeWeaver); Floodlights – Human: and Dope Lemon – Kimosabè.
Thank you for playing Brain Drain! How are you, dearhearts? Darling DeadSplinterites, what’s going on? Please do share with us!
Last book of the Vampire Earth series turned into a travelogue of the Canadian Maritimes and Scandanavia mixed in with some action. Sad that a series that started off with promise ended with a whimper.
Soooo any Meg meetings yet?
Not till tomorrow.
Watched: That CNN documentary, Little Richard: I am Everything. It was really well done. I liked that they dug into his life and didn’t shy away from the fact that he was SUPER GAY and how that didn’t derail his career at all, even while societal pressures and his upbringing kept ping-ponging him emotionally.
Listened: Saving Abel put out a new a couple of new singles recently.
Documentaries about dead folks who were alive within my lifetime make me sad. So much lost. I guess that is why I am always more interested in the future, newness, what’s next . . . Less chance for the blues.
Saw The Batman. Robert Pattinson did a decent job of being spoiled orphan Bruce Wayne. Liked how the writers pointed out that a billionaire orphan isn’t real hardship.
It wasn’t bad but nothing compared to the Nolan spectaculars.
What I found most annoying was a lot of the male actors went with the Bateman Voice. Looking at you Jeremy Wright with extra gravel than usual. It was also kind of funny.
I read a thing somewhere about how Batman is no hero. He’s another rich guy who could use his vast wealth to affect real change but instead fights small time criminals for petty revenge.
That’s a great entry for Movies Described Badly ™
After finishing Vice Principals I moved on to Righteous Gemstones. I was worried that they might pull punches, but so far it’s pretty savage. The little tithing bit was like a scene out of Casino.
stupid heatwave finally ending here after this weekend….so then i will finally let you know how i like your book
…and probably bitch about the rain too
horrible wet stuff…we hates it
whats wrong with 68f year round and rain in the wee hours i ask?
might even watch a thing again too
(edited post to show vid from jimmy cliffs page instead of some rando profiting)
I watched The White House Plumbers on Max. It’s a satirical look at the Watergate scandal. Everything in it really happened, they just play up the crazy a little bit. It’s very funny, Justin Theroux is hilarious as G. Gordon Liddy. It’s a great cast, Woody Harrelson as Howard Hunt, Toby Huss as Jim McCord. What a bunch of schmucks. But they were far more ethical and competent than the trump administration which is the really crazy part.
I read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. 39 women and 1 child are being held in a cage, guarded by men who don’t interact with them in any way other than threatening them with whips. There are no windows, no privacy, no entertainment, little work other than preparing the plain food that is provided. The bright lights are always on. The women can’t remember how or why they came to be there. The child can recall nothing of a life before her imprisonment further isolating her from the women whose memories she doesn’t share. She grows up with no culture, no education, and no purpose until a stroke of luck sets them free. It may sound bleak but it’s a really beautiful book about surviving trauma, the value of companionship, finding joy in being alive, and what it means to be human. There is no big twist but manages to avoid a cheap ending. I definitely recommend it it.
I haven’t listened to anything in particular, too busy playing Fae Farm on Switch.
I like Justin Theroux. I didn’t see he and Jennifer Aniston as a good fit, too many left coast – east coast style differences.
And Amy Sedaris is his best friend. How could you not like him?
My brain is occupied with getting my big city clothes together for my trip to Chicago this week.
That hat!
I keep forgetting I can post again!
@elliecoo I recently picked up a series that you might like (if you haven’t read it already!)… The Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood. The first 3 are really great, and I’m waiting to get my hands on book 4.
Hi @Honeysmacks! Thank you for the recommendation, I downloaded book one – and based on the blurb and your suggestion, I suspect that I will read the entire series and stay up way too late doing so!
Aw, @Elliecoo, just saw the thanks. My pleasure. I really love that song, and the whole album (available on Bandcamp — https://covenant-swe.bandcamp.com/album/the-blinding-dark) is great.